A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the extraction from oil shale of useful hydrocarbons as petroleum products. More particularly, the present invention pertains to systems and methods for deriving refined petroleum products directly from oil shale.
B. Background of the Invention
Oil shale reserves are massive, but relatively untapped. Therefore, these reserves represent a promising source of combustible liquid hydrocarbons for use in contemporary societies. The useful hydrocarbons reside in oil shale in the form of so-called kerogens. Kerogens encompass an intermixed diversity of potentially useful hydrocarbons that range in weight from very light and highly volatile to very heavy and resistive to vaporization.
One approach to extracting useful hydrocarbons from oil shale involves the application of heat to the oil shale, and ultimately the vaporization and capture of the useful hydrocarbons freed thereby from the oil shale. This type of processing is referred to as pyrolysis. Existing pyrolysis technologies utilize processes that are poorly integrated, both physically and conceptually. Such systems are not, therefore, capable of producing petroleum products, either of an adequate quality on in a sufficient volume, as to be able to compete effectively in the marketplace against petroleum products from other hydrocarbon sources.